Ballon D'or 2021: Who wins it?

luiginb

Registered User
Aug 23, 2007
7,386
2,849
Barcelona
Everyone knows how good Rodri is. I have no problem with Rodri winning. I just think if anyone should have been higher it’s Lautaro. I also don’t think the BDO voters are looking at FBRef
They're journalists, as long as they don't watch every single game the 30 nominees play, they should, it's one of many statistical sources they can use.
 

les Habs

Registered User
Sep 21, 2005
22,734
4,170
Wisconsin
The funny thing about Madrid here is that it isn’t really about poor Vinicius Junior not winning when he (according to them) was the rightful winner. It’s about the Ballon d Or winner, whomever that might be, not being in their team. That’s the issue for them. It’s all about perpetuating their phony image.

And if you really want to put Perez into context, their training ground is laughably called Florentino Perez Real Madrid City.
 
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les Habs

Registered User
Sep 21, 2005
22,734
4,170
Wisconsin
Just to bust the revisionist myth that Carvajal had the best ever season for a RB, I’ll provide two clear examples to the contrary.

First is Dani Alves in 2010-11. On the way to winning both the league and CL with Barca, he had 2 goals and 15 assists (yes, 15) in the league and added another 2 goals and 3 assist in the CL.

Second is Philip Lahm in 2012-13. On his way to winning a Treble with Bayern as the team’s captain he had 11 assists in the league and another 4 assists in the CL.

Two obvious examples. Dani Alves’ 2006-07 season with Sevilla is up there to name just one more that is likely forgotten.
 
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Corto

Faceless Man
Sep 28, 2005
16,082
1,000
Braavos
Has it been, though? Sneijder finished 4th as the best player on a treble. Ribery finished 3rd as the best player on a treble. It’s generally been a loose “who is the best player in the world right now” award

And trophy counting does not a best season make. Carvajal finishing 4th is already insane, take the W.
TBF, Sneijder just had a monster season in a peak Messi era.
Messi (and peak Cristiano) was so much above anyone else that I think Sneijder maaaaybe would've won if he won the WC final to add to his treble. And maybe not.
This was peak Messi. There was no better player in the history.
It's not like they gave it to 2021 or 2023 Messi. 2010 Messi was not from this planet.

Most French fans have a great memory of OM's win.
And yet it doesn't compare. Entire nation is different from a single fan base.
And even for neutrals (Maradona 86 is just wow for everyone).

I remember the OM final, I watched it as Boksic was playing for OM.
And I agree about the whole nation thing, but me having great memories of 2018 doesn't mean that Croatia beating England will resonate better in history for some random Spanish or Dutch dude, who remember Madrid or Barca winning, or Ajax. Or hey, just a neutral will likely remember the Bayern-ManUtd better than 99% of WC games.

Anyway...

From my side, to sum up:
Rodri is a worthy winner.
Vinicius would've been a worthy winner, and he's the one I thought would win.
My vote would've gone to Carvajal.
(this isn't just trophy counting for him, he was an utter beast in winning all those trophies, fullbacks like him, so balanced and well-round and very few and far between in football history)

And lastly, as annoyed and frustrated as Madrid must've been when they found out Vini wasn't winning it, they shouldn't have pulled out of the thing.
He's not the first guy to not winning something they felt was deserved.

If they meet in the KO rounds this season, City v Madrid could be a proper grudge match.
Especially after Rodri and his boys singing "Vincius ciao, ciao" last night.
 

cgf

FireBednarsSuccessor
Oct 15, 2010
61,426
19,713
w/ Renly's Peach
To think, if only we hadn’t been cheated by the refs against Spain…again…then they could’ve just given Wirtz the BdO and there would be zero controversy.
 

Corto

Faceless Man
Sep 28, 2005
16,082
1,000
Braavos
To think, if only we hadn’t been cheated by the refs against Spain…again…then they could’ve just given Wirtz the BdO and there would be zero controversy.
Who knows what happens then... Maybe England wins in the final and Jude wins the Ballon... :D
 
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Duchene2MacKinnon

In the hands of Genius
Aug 8, 2006
46,686
10,038
To think, if only we hadn’t been cheated by the refs against Spain…again…then they could’ve just given Wirtz the BdO and there would be zero controversy.
You take that and in return you give us what was deservedly ours in 2014?
 

cgf

FireBednarsSuccessor
Oct 15, 2010
61,426
19,713
w/ Renly's Peach
You take that and in return you give us what was deservedly ours in 2014?

When you get an official apology for an officiating mistake that cost you that match, we can talk about 2014...and 2010 :naughty:...until then all there is to talk about is how godly Neuer was, and how much cooler than Higuain, Götze was when he got the chance to decide the match.

My tongue is firmly in my cheek, Spain totally deserved their title and the match was at best a toss up...but there's a difference between playing well enough to win, and UEFA later acknowledging that the pivotal refereeing decision in the match was an error.
 
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Corto

Faceless Man
Sep 28, 2005
16,082
1,000
Braavos
The red card and penalty plz
in 2014? Probably never happens if Garay gets a red card and Germany gets a penalty for the blindside shoulder-to-the-head hit on Kramer.
See now, that is illegal in ice hockey, let alone football. Soccer.
That was like minute 15. Pen down, goal down.
 

Duchene2MacKinnon

In the hands of Genius
Aug 8, 2006
46,686
10,038
in 2014? Probably never happens if Garay gets a red card and Germany gets a penalty for the blindside shoulder-to-the-head hit on Kramer.
See now, that is illegal in ice hockey, let alone football. Soccer.
That was like minute 15. Pen down, goal down.
As usual you’re wrong. Tbh I’m not even sure if you’re talking about the same sport sometimes. Just ramblings of a madman
 

Corto

Faceless Man
Sep 28, 2005
16,082
1,000
Braavos
You could show your work.
What's that mean?

You're the one who started whinging how 2014 final was stolen from Argentina.
Cause of (I assume) Neuer's start on Higuain?
Which is a fair case of a potential red card tbf - getting to the ball first doesn't mean you can blow another player up to do so.

EXACTLY like Garay did with Kramer.
Only that happened much ealier in the game.

But whatever floats your boat, man.
 

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